1. Technical Field
This invention relates generally to a liquid fuel burner and, more particularly, to a removable liquid fuel burner fittable into a base structure and having a refillable fuel-holding container.
2. Background Art
In the prior art, oil burners and oil lamps are well-known. The following United States patents are representative of the prior art and illustrate many of the devices that have been used in the past.
In Bennett, U.S. Pat. No. 13,860 entitled xe2x80x9cLampxe2x80x9d issued Nov. 27, 1855, a fluid lamp is shown wherein an india rubber or elastic bag is placed inside an ordinary lamp and is lined with gutta percha or other substance which protects the bag from chemically reacting fluid fuel. The liner is attached to the inside periphery of a top which has a pair of wick tubes.
In Lowe, U.S. Pat. No. 28,436 entitled xe2x80x9cVapor Lampxe2x80x9d issued May 29, 1860, a vapor lamp has a two-part base enclosing a wire-woven bag filled with gas-absorbing cotton material in contact with strands of wick and includes an upright tube into which the wick extends and having orifices at its end. The lamp is refillable by removing a cork from an opening in a tube defined at its bottom.
Thompson, U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,678 entitled xe2x80x9cLeak Proof Burner Assembly for Oil Lamps Using Plastic Fuel Containersxe2x80x9d issued Mar. 19, 1991, includes a cap member carrying a wick which has a frusto-conical or hollow crown and a central cylindrical and which is crimped onto a fuel canister.
Tendick, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,333 entitled xe2x80x9cRefillable Burner Assemblyxe2x80x9d issued Jan. 4, 2000, shows a burner assembly including a fuel container having a externally-threaded neck with a central opening and a one-piece internally-threaded cap screwed onto the neck and having an axially-extending wick holder crimpable on the crown of the cap to hold a wick.
Tendick, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,825 entitled xe2x80x9cBurner Assembly for Oil Lamps Using Plastic Fuel Containersxe2x80x9d issued Jul. 7, 1992, shows a burner assembly with a tubular metal wick holder which has a releasable bayonet connection to a fuel canister.
Tendick, Sr., U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,711 entitled xe2x80x9cFragrance Dispensing Devicexe2x80x9d issued Jan. 9, 1990, includes a cap member carrying a wick which has a frusto-conical or hollow crown and a central cylindrical and which is crimped onto a fuel canister.
Olsen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,286 entitled xe2x80x9cLamp for Liquid Fuelxe2x80x9d issued Mar. 1, 1988, shows a lamp having a conical wick holder which supports a wick hanging down into a fuel container.
Kiesinger et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,217,314 entitled xe2x80x9cDisposable, Recyclable Oil Candlexe2x80x9d issued Apr. 17, 2001, shows a disposable oil candle with a fuel cell having a ring that may be snapped into a cooperating groove of an exterior shell shaped like a candle.
LeJeune, U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,002 entitled xe2x80x9cOil Candle Having an Oil Sealxe2x80x9d issued Dec. 12, 2000, shows an oil candle including a candle base containing oil and a tapered oil seal surrounding a glass tube holding the wick, the seal fitting snugly into the mouth of the base to act as a stopper therefor.
Herb, U.S. Design Pat. No. 305,801 entitled xe2x80x9cOil Candle for Insertion into a Wine Bottle or Similar Articlexe2x80x9d issued Jan. 30, 1990, is an ornamental design for an oil candle insertable into a wine bottle and includes a narrow bottle with a wick holder at the top.
While the prior art burners function well for their intended purpose, they cannot easily be adapted for use with pre-existing bases, statuary and the like, which might be made of marble, bronze, or ceramic.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems as set forth above.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a new and improved liquid fuel burner which is simple, compact, inexpensive and functional.
It is another object of the invention to provide a liquid fuel burner which can be used with a variety of holders, including statuary, and which can be easily refilled and reused. The fuel burners intended herein can be easily and conveniently fitted into existing hollow statues, bases or holders, without substantial modification thereto. Thus, each individual object need not be specially designed or configured to receive the burner.
It is a further feature of the invention to provide a liquid fuel burner which minimizes the hazard of fire caused by accidental spills and leaks.
According to the present invention, a liquid fuel burner is adapted to be inserted into an opening of a supporting base, such as a statue or other art work, includes a container to hold combustible fuel, a tube having one end attached to an opening in the container, a collar assembly secured to the other end of the tube and having a cap closing the end of the tube and a flange part to support the burner in the opening, and a wick extending from the container through the tube and being held within an opening defined in the cap.
In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the fuel container is a flexible bladder secured to the tube. A second flexible bladder may surround the first bladder to decrease the chances of fuel leakage caused by rips or punctures to the bladders. The bladders are attached to the underlying tube by tape, heat shrink tubing, clamps, or other means. The tube has a flange ring, or other structure, underlying the bladders to further hold the bladders onto the outside of the tube.
In another exemplary embodiment, a band of insulation may be provided between the tube and the bladders or between the bladders and the heat shrink tubing to prevent damage to the bladders which may be caused by heat.
In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the bladder has multiple neck portions adapted to receive individual tubes and wicks thereby permitting a plurality of burners to draw fuel from a single reservoir.
In yet another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the fuel container is a bottle, which may be made of plastic, which is screwed onto the tube or press fit thereon and clamped.
In a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the cap include a glass wick holder to support the wick in burning position thereabove. A split ring seal is positioned between the cap and the tube to hold the wick holder and provide a vent hole.
A feature of the invention is that the burner may be used in a variety of bases, which bases may be of any form or size, so long as they have an opening adapted to suspend the burner therein and have space therewithin to receive the fuel reservoir. The burner""s bladder reservoir is flexible to conform, when filled with fuel, to the space into which it is placed.